More than 85% of energy being consumed today is that from fossil fuels. Although this has many advantages, it has been estimated that the world's reserves of both oil and natural gas will be depleted, at the current rate of consumption, by the year 2024 (Science, vol. 245, pp. 1330-1331, 1989). Moreover, the burning of fossil fuel produces both gaseous and particulate pollutants which cause extensive damage to crops and plants, deterioration of paint, rubber and textiles, and contributes significantly to reduced respiratory function and production of cancer in humans. There is also strong evidence that the gaseous byproducts of this energy source are contributing to global warming and acid rain. The magnitude of these economic and environmental problems has become so serious that it is imperative that the use of fossil fuels be reduced without compromising the application of this energy source.
Permanent magnets have long been known to contain strong potential energy, but this has only been used in motors or generators, to date, in the form of stators which create or direct electromotive forces, not as a physical supplement to those forces. The present invention has potential for generating greater forces in existing electric or gasoline motors, wind powered generators, human powered bicycles or other such devices without using additional fuel or creating additional environmental pollutants.